Buffer device for buffering containers, with an inlet, an inlet manipulator, a first buffer system, a transposition device, a second buffer system, an outlet manipulator, and an outlet, where containers can be transferred by the inlet manipulator from the inlet to the first buffer system and can be transported along a first direction in the first buffer system, where the transposition device can transfer containers from the first buffer system to the second buffer system, and the containers can be transported in the second buffer system along a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and the containers can be removed from the second buffer system by the outlet manipulator and fed to the outlet, where the buffer capacity of the buffer device is adjustable.

A product management system (100) including a first panel (102) with a first continuous track (106) including a queuing section, a product engagement section and a return section, and a first series of magnetic sources (115) disposed circumferentially along the first continuous track (106). A first series of lugs (116) are movably dispersed around the first continuous track (106) configured to react to the first series of magnetic sources in order to increase or decrease a velocity of each lug (116) of the first series of lugs along the first continuous track (116) and a product engagement member (118) attached to each lug configured and adapted to actuate to engage a product.

The invention relates to a method and a device (10) for distributing and/or grouping containers in a container treatment system. The device (10) comprises a supply conveyor (12), a discharge conveyor (16) and a transfer conveyor (14). The transfer conveyor (14) comprises a guide path (28) and several movement devices (30) that can be driven individually, preferably by means of a long stator linear motor (32) and which are guided along the guide path (28). The several movement devices (30) comprise a conveyor device (34) that is designed to transfer several containers from the supply conveyor (12) to the discharge conveyor (16). Said device (10) can preferably be used to reduce the risk of the containers tipping over when being transferred, to reduce the number of movement devices (30) and/or to enable the containers to be pre-grouped.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for grouping containers, comprising: a first conveyor belt for transporting the containers in a first transport direction; a second conveyor belt; a container receiving device; a transfer device, which is designed to transfer at least some of the containers from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt transversely to the first transport direction and to transfer at least some of the containers transferred to the second conveyor belt to the container receiving device transversely to the first transport direction; and a motor device, in particular a long stator motor device, which is designed to move the transfer device for transferring a container.

A machine is for packaging products, such as bottles and other containers, in bundles. An apparatus for packaging products in bundles includes a conveying system for the products, crossing in the following order: a separation station for separating the products into a sequence of groups, a wrapping station for wrapping the groups in sequence in a continuous tube of pretensioned extensible plastic film, a cutting station for cutting the continuous tube of pretensioned extensible plastic film to form bundles of the products wrapped in the pretensioned extensible plastic film. The separation station includes a spacing member for spacing products to form groups and a stabilization member for stabilizing spacing between the groups including a first gripper device and a second gripper device. The gripper devices are configured to move and insert spacers into the space formed by the spacing member between two groups of products.

A system for packaging groups of paper rolls, including a cutting-off machine that cuts paper logs, each group including rolls obtained from a same log. The system includes: a first unit for arranging the individual rolls spaced apart from each other; a second unit forming the groups by grouping a predetermined number of rolls, the second unit being provided with blades adapted to push from the back the last roll of each group to be formed and each formed group as the individual groups are formed by exerting a pushing action on the rear base of said last roll while the front base and a lateral surface of each roll are free; a third unit located downstream of the second unit and adapted to convey the groups towards a packaging machine.

The present invention relates a device (1) for producing batches (2) of products (3) from a plurality of products (3), said batches having a predefined configuration for palletizing in layers carried out downstream, said device comprising an upstream conveyor (4) which extends in a first conveying direction (6) and on which the products (3) are aligned in a row (5), a downstream receiving surface (7) intended to receive said batches, and a moving means (8) intended to transfer the products (3) brought by the upstream conveyor (4) to the downstream receiving surface (7). The moving means (8) comprises a main rail (9) and a plurality of shuttles (10) that are movable independently of one another and travel on said rail (9), each shuttle being intended to receive at least one product (3) on its upper surface. The present invention also relates an installation comprising this device and a corresponding method.

A method for building an article array comprised of (n) rows of articles, as disclosed herein.

A method for grouping elongated products (4). The products (4) are delivered by a delivering conveyor device (5) and are deposited onto a conveyor belt (3) such that there are no gaps between the lateral surfaces, and the products are conveyed along a conveyor direction (F) at a conveyor speed. Of the products (4) being conveyed without gaps, multiple products (4) which form a product group and adjoin one another without gaps are removed from the conveyor belt (3) simultaneously using transfer means (7), wherein during the removal process, the transfer means (7) are moved along the conveyor section (S) from a starting position (24) to a removal position in the conveyor direction (F) in a synchronized manner with the conveyor belt (3) and the product group which is to be removed and which is being conveyed on the conveyor belt, and the products (4) of the product group are then aligned perpendicularly to the conveyor direction (F) simultaneously by means of a pivoting movement after the removal process and are deposited on a shelf in the aligned state as a row extending along the conveyor direction (F) without gaps.

A storage station, a process for storing, and a bottle tray (5) configured for receiving a bottle layer (7) are provided. The bottle tray has an upright side wall (12), with an upper tray opening (13) and a tray bottom (15) connected to the side wall (12). The bottle tray (5) has a movable lifting bottom (18) that lies in the loaded state (5) on the tray bottom (15) and which has a plurality of passage openings (16) for a lifting device (34) for a relative lift between the side wall (12) and the lifting bottom (18). The tray bottom (15) has a perforated plate or a plurality of struts (17) located spaced apart and enclosing the passage openings (16). The struts are fastened to the side wall (12). The bottle tray (5) has a bottom centering (19) acting between the tray bottom (15) and the lifting bottom (18).